1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a variable folder having a cross-cutting arrangement with a cutting cylinder provided with at least one cutting blade. The variable folder also has a collecting cylinder and a product directing arrangement which leads from the cross-cutting arrangement to the collecting cylinder.
2. Description of the Related Art
DE 33 02 036 A1 discloses a variable folder in which a fed web strand is cross cut in a cross-cutting arrangement. The resulting products are accelerated by a directing belt and fed to a collecting cylinder. In this case, the accelerating belts execute movements relative to the products and smear the print. There is also a risk of the strand winding around a cylinder of the cross-cutting arrangement following the cut.
DE 39 00 663 C2 discloses an apparatus which is intended for cross cutting webs and in which the web is cut in two stages by two cutting apparatuses. First of all a cut which is interrupted by a multiplicity of crosspieces is executed. The second cross-cutting arrangement then produces a continuous cut by virtue of the crosspieces being severed. Such an interrupted cut is used in order for it to be possible for belts of a directing belt to be guided through beneath the cutting blade in the cut-free region. The two cutting apparatuses result in the apparatus being costly to produce.
The object of the invention is to provide a variable folder which allows smearing-free operation.
In accordance with the invention, the cutting blade has plural recesses so that residual cross pieces are left behind in the strand which has been cut. Arranged in a product-directing region between the cross-cutting arrangement and the collecting cylinder are accelerating and tearing-off cams which grip the product and tear it off from the strand at the residual cross pieces.
By virtue of the accelerating and tearing-off cams, the print-smearing directing belts are rendered superfluous. The accelerating and tearing-off cams may be arranged in the print-free border regions and in the likewise print-free central region. This does away with problematic sources which cause the print to smear. It is also possible for webs which are printed with cold-set inks to be processed without smearing. Furthermore, by virtue of the strand not being completely severed, the start of a product, via the connection to the preceding product by way of the residual crosspieces, is guided reliably out of the cutting zone of the cross-cutting arrangement, with the result that wrap-around is avoided. The strand which has not been completely cross cut thus initially retains its web character.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.